User interface for inputting multi-passenger multi-route travel planning query

ABSTRACT

A user interface displayed on a computer monitor includes fields for entering data for a multiple passenger, multiple route query, the fields including a first set of fields corresponding to travel segments of a first passenger group, a second set of fields corresponding to travel segments of a second passenger group, and a third set of fields corresponding to shared travel features between the first travel group and second travel group.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to travel pricing, and more particularly topricing for air travel using travel planning computer systems.

Travelers and travel agents pose air travel planning queries to computertravel planning systems (TPS), such as travel web sites,airline-specific web sites, or interfaces supplied by globaldistribution systems (GDSs) as used by travel agents. One type of querytypically supported by travel planning systems is the so-calledlow-fare-search (LFS) query. In response to an LFS query these travelplanning systems typically return a list of possible answers, eachincluding flight and price information, although answers may also takeother forms such as a pricing graph.

Most travel planning systems can answer LFS queries involving multiplepassengers, returning answers in which all passengers travel on the sameflights but in some cases use different pricings (fares), depending onseat availability and special discounts that may be available to somebut not all passengers.

SUMMARY

Multiple passengers may wish to fly related trips that do not haveexactly the same flights. For example, two travelers may wish to journeytogether to a destination but return at separate times. On the otherhand, several different passengers may wish to journey from differentorigins to a common destination, possibly for a group vacation or familyreunion. Traditional travel planning systems cannot plan such trips,because they only produce answers in which all passengers fly exactlythe same flights for all portions of their journey.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a method, for enteringdata for a multiple passenger, multiple route query includes enteringdata corresponding to travel segments of a first passenger group in afirst set of fields in a first region of a user interface, entering datacorresponding to travel segments of a second passenger group in asubsequent region of the user interface and sending the data from thefirst passenger group and the second passenger group to a travelplanning system to produce a set of travel options that meet jointrequirements of the first passenger group and the second passengergroup.

The following are embodiments within the scope of the claims. Thesubsequent region of the user interface has a second set of fieldscorresponding to travel segments of the second passenger group which arepre-populated with data corresponding to travel segments for the firstpassenger group. A user enters data corresponding to travel segments astwo independent individual queries in the first and subsequent regionsfor the first and subsequent passenger groups. The subsequent region hasnon-editable text or graphics corresponding to the data corresponding totravel segments from the first passenger group. Entering data for thesubsequent passenger group further includes editing fields that arepre-populated data corresponding to travel segments for the firstpassenger group. The data entered in the first set of fields the firstpassenger group are editable in the subsequent page of the userinterface of the second passenger group. Editing the second passengergroup's trip reflects differences in travel plans with the first group.Editing of the second passenger group trip includes deleting tripsegments of the first passenger group's trip that were pre-populated inthe trip segments of the second passenger group's trip. Each region ofuser interface and subsequent regions of the user interface include acontrol that launches an additional region of the user interface toenter data for additional passenger groups. The additional region of theuser interface when launched, is pre-populated with entered data fromthe first passenger group. The method further includes specifying sharedtravel features by populating fields in at least one region of the userinterface. The method further includes populating the user interfacewith a listing of shared travel features and prompting the user toselect which of the shared travel features to enforce as requirements.The shared travel features include at least one of travel together onsame flights, share as much of trip as possible, depart at same time,arrive at same time, arrive at same airport, depart same airport, anddepart at same time. At least one of the regions of the user interfaceincludes a control to allow a user to specify the shared travel featuresas requirements or preferences. The method further includes explicitlyspecifying passenger counts, ages or names by controls in at least oneof the pages of the user interface.

According to an additional aspect of the present invention, a userinterface displayed on a computer monitor includes fields for enteringdata for a multiple passenger, multiple route query, the fieldsincluding a first set of fields corresponding to travel segments of afirst passenger group, a second set of fields corresponding to travelsegments of a second passenger group, and a third set of fieldscorresponding to shared travel features between the first travel groupand second travel group.

The following embodiments are within the scope of the claims. The sharedtravel features include at least one of travel together on same flights,share as much of trip as possible, depart at same time, arrive at sametime, arrive at same airport, depart same airport, and depart at sametime. The interface arranges features by allowing a user to specifyfeatures as requirements or preferences. The data corresponding totravel segments of the first passenger group are pre-populated in thesecond set of fields corresponding to travel segments of the secondpassenger group. The user interface includes a control that causes datain the fields to be sent as a multiple route multiple passenger query toa travel planning system. The user interface is a graphical userinterface.

According to an additional aspect of the invention, a graphical userinterface displayed on a computer monitor includes fields for enteringdata for a multiple passenger, multiple route query, the fieldsincluding a first set of fields corresponding to travel segments of afirst passenger group populated with data pertaining to the firstpassenger group and a second set of fields for entering travel segmentsof a second passenger group.

According to an additional aspect of the present invention, a computerprogram product residing on a computer readable medium, for enteringdata for a multiple passenger, multiple route query includesinstructions for causing a computer to render a first region of a userinterface having a first set of fields for entering data correspondingto travel segments of a first passenger group, render a subsequentregion of the user interface having a first set of fields populated withdata corresponding to travel segments of the first passenger group, anda second set of fields for entering data corresponding to travelsegments of a second passenger group and submit the data from the firstpassenger group and the second passenger group to an application thatproduces a set of travel options that meet joint requirements of thefirst passenger group and the second passenger group.

One or more aspects of the invention may provide one or more of thefollowing advantages.

Passenger group information is entered in a form that is straightforward. The form is displayed and can be initialized with a firstpassenger group's trip information as well as information from any otherpreceding group trips. Delete buttons may be added to each trip segmentto make editing easier and the display of the first or any otherpassenger group's trip may be editable. Heuristics can determine jointtravel requirements/preferences. The user can verify or editrequirements/preferences in the interface. The interface can allow auser to specify or verify shared travel requirements/preferences. Theinterface can be arranged such that the requirements can be eitherspecified as requirements or preferences.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth inthe accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features,objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thedescription and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram including a travel planning system.

FIG. 2 is flow chart depicting multiple route multiple passengerprocessing.

FIG. 3 is a diagram depicting a graph user interface for MRMPprocessing.

FIGS. 4A-4C are diagrams depicting the graph user interface of FIG. 3 invarious stages of completion for MRMP processing.

FIG. 5 is a diagram depicting another graphical user interface for MRMPprocessing.

FIGS. 6-13 are flow charts depicting details of several different MRMPprocessing techniques.

FIGS. 14-16 are diagrams depicting presentation interfaces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an arrangement 10 includes a server type ofcomputer system 12 implements a travel planning system (TPS) thatsearches for airline tickets in response to queries using so-calledlarge scale or low-fare-search algorithms. The travel planning system 12finds valid flight sequences between pairs of specified end-points inresponse to a query received from a client system 11. In one embodiment,the client 11 communicates with the travel planning system (TPS) 12 viaa network such as the Internet 14 through a web server 16. One type ofquery handled by the travel planning system 10 relates to the jointplanning of trips for multiple passengers, where the passengers wish tofly different, but co-dependent routes. Herein such travel planning willbe referred to as MPMR (multi-passenger, multi-route) travel planning.

The client 11 sends an MPMR query to the web server 16 or directly tothe travel planning system (TPS) 12. An MPMR process 18, here shown onthe web server 16 uses an existing TPS 12 to solve MPMR queries, forexample by posing multiple individual queries 17 a and merges theresponses 17 b to produce answers 17 c. In that example, the MPMRprocess 18 receives an MPMR query, and poses sub-queries 17 a andpossibly multiple sub-queries to the TPS 12 and integrates the results17 b prior to passing the integrated results as an answer 17 c back tothe client 11.

The process of finding flight sequences for a portion of a trip iscommonly called “scheduling.” Scheduling uses flight informationcontained in travel information databases, 22. A particular flightsequence for a portion of a trip is commonly called an “itinerary.”Typically, the travel-planning system attempts 10 to find prices for oneor more combinations of itineraries from each portion of a trip.

The process of finding prices for a specific combination of itineraries(equivalently, sequence of flights on a ticket) is known as “pricing” aset of flights, or “pricing a ticket” sometimes referred to as a faringprocess. The process of pricing the flights of a ticket involvesretrieving fares from a fare database 22 and choosing fares forparticular sub-sequences of flights such that all flights are paid forby exactly one fare. Pricing the flights can include grouping fares intopriceable-units, and verifying that the fare rules permit the particularchoices of fares and priceable-units.

A fare is a price an airline offers for one-way travel between twoairports that has associated restrictions on its usage called “rules.”If a fare's rules permit, a fare may pay for more than one flight, andtickets may be priced using more than one fare. In international travel,airlines publish fares in markets that often require many flights to getbetween a desired origin and destination.

MPMR travel planning can arise in many situations. For instance, a firsttraveler may need to travel NYC-HNL departing on a Monday and returningSunday, and a companion may need to travel NYC-LAX on a Wednesday,LAX-HNL on a Friday and return HNL-NYC on Sunday with the first travelersharing the same return flight and preferably sitting together.

As used below, “passenger group” (PG) refers to a group of one or morepassengers that have the same travel requirements and travel togetherfor their entire trip. In the following discussion, it may be necessaryto distinguish between travel queries, requirements, preferences andsolutions for a single passenger group and those for a combined set ofall passengers groups involved in an MPMR travel query. The word “joint”refers to the properties of the MPMR travel query as a whole, and theword “individual” refers to a passenger group in isolation.

Another example can involve a large group of travelers, e.g., businesstravelers that originate travel from different origins but arrive andleave the destination at approximately the same times from the sameairports, to simplify local travel arrangements. Another requirementcould be that they share flights where possible. However these arepreferences or “soft” constraints that may be violated, but at animplied cost, rather than requirements or “hard” constraints that maynot be violated. Another example could involve two friends living indifferent cities that intend to meet at a common destination. They seeka destination that minimizes their combined travel costs. In all theseexamples different passengers' trips are co-dependent, either throughhard constraints like that of sharing the same flights or destination,or soft constraints like that of arriving at approximately the same timeor sharing flights if possible. To find the optimal trip combination forall passengers a travel planning system needs to consider allpassengers' trips simultaneously.

Some common constraints and preferences for MPMR travel include:arriving or departing an airport at similar times; sharing all flightsfor a segment of a trip; sharing over-water or international flights fora segment of a trip; sharing as much mileage or time as possible for asegment of a trip; sharing origin or destination airports or cities; andavoiding the same flights.

The travel planning system responds to LFS queries that typicallyinclude origins and destinations, and travel times for each segment of atrip. One type of LFS query can be the MPMR query, discussed above. TheMPMR process 18 receives the MPMR queries that are expressed as one setof information for each passenger group (an individual query, or IQ), aset of joint travel requirements, and optionally a specification of howto choose among solutions such as a joint preference function (as anexample, “choose the joint solution that has the lowest total cost”).

Referring to FIG. 2, a process 40 to produce and process MPMR queries isshown. The first passenger group's travel requirements are entered 42and the travel requirements are displayed 44. A similar formpre-populated 46 with data from preceding passenger groups is displayed48 for a subsequent passenger group. That is, at this point, a form isproduced for the second passenger group, pre-populated with the firstpassenger group's entries so that shared travel requirements need not bere-entered. In one embodiment the first passenger group's requirementsremains editable, in another they are displayed in non-editable form forinformational purposes only.

After the subsequent, e.g., second passenger group's travel requirementshave been entered, the user is asked 50 if more passenger groups exist,and if so a new form is produced 46 and this is repeated as necessaryuntil all passenger groups' individual queries have been entered. A setof possible joint travel requirements and preferences are deducedautomatically 54 from the collection of individual queries. Optionally,the user is given a chance to verify and edit the joint travelrequirements and preferences. Heuristics may be used to determinepossible joint travel requirements and preferences. Some possibilitiesinclude:

A. If multiple passenger groups specify identical trip segmentrequirements (the same origins, destinations and travel times, forexample) then it is assumed that they desire to fly together for thatportion of their trip.

B. Unless A takes precedence, if multiple passenger groups specify thesame destinations and travel times, but different origins, then it isassumed that they desire to arrive at the same destination airport atapproximately the same time and if possible to share the same finalflight.

C. Unless A takes precedence, if multiple passenger groups specify thesame origins and travel times, but different destinations, then it isassumed that they desire to depart the same origin airport atapproximately the same time and if possible to share the same initialflight. Thereafter, the process 40 can send 56 the query to the travelplanning system, e.g., as a series of queries or a single query.

Travel queries are commonly posed by travelers using computer graphicaluser interfaces or browser based interfaces. It is desirable that aquery interface for expressing MPMR travel queries be as simple to enterqueries to minimizing the chance of entry error.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an exemplary user interface for entering MPMRtravel queries includes an entry form 60, appropriate for an individualpassenger group query displayed with an indication that the trip for thefirst passenger group should be entered. Fields are included forpassenger names and segments of the trip.

FIGS. 4A-4C show the user interface of FIG. 3 with data entered for anMPMR query for two passenger groups of one passenger each. FIG. 4A showsthat the first group requests a 3-component “circle trip,” whereas FIG.4B shows that first group trip and the second group trip pre-populatedwith the first group's trip. FIG. 4C shows a finished query, where thesecond passenger group data from FIG. 4B was edited such that the secondpassenger group joins the circle trip for only for the first part of thecircle trip and includes a different segment for the reminder of itstrip.

As shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, controls “click here to add another passenger,”which brings up a screen to continue to the second or a subsequentpassenger group and “click here if no more passengers,” which exits thescreen are provided.

The second or a subsequent passenger group form is displayed,initialized with the first passenger group's trip, and any otherpreceding group trips. Delete buttons (not shown) may be added to eachtrip segment to make editing easier, and the display of the firstpassenger group's trip may be modified so that it too is editable sothat corrections can be made.

FIG. 4C, shows that the two passenger group's travel plans have beenentered for this example. The travel plans are examined according to theheuristics described above. Running heuristic A determines that the twopassengers may wish to travel together from DFW to NYC on May 1 and takethe same flights. Heuristic C determines that both passengers may wishto depart the same NYC airport on May 5th at about the same time, ifpractical on the same flight. The user is asked to verify or edit theserequirements and preferences in the interface, as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 depicts an interface that summarizes all of the trips andincludes fields to allow a user to specify or verify shared travelrequirements. The shared travel requirements can include for exampletravel together on same flights, share as much of trip as possible,depart at same time, arrive at same time, arrive at same airport, departsame airport, depart at same time, and so forth. The interface alsoincludes a control to initiate a search. The interface can be arrangedsuch that the requirements can be either specified as requirements orpreferences, e.g., by adding requirement” vs “preference” choice to eachpossibility.

Other standard travel interface controls may be added. Such controls caninclude controls for specifying the number of stops and cabin class, andcontrols for specifying passenger composition of a passenger group.Controls for specifying passenger composition can be include controls topermit the user to enter the counts of various passenger types (adult,senior, child, etc), so that it is not necessary to enter everypassenger separately for a group that intends to travel together for theentire trip.

In one alternative embodiment, joint travel requirements and preferencesare specified incrementally after each passenger group's individualquery has been entered. That is, the result shown in FIG. 5 is performedfor each passenger group numbered 2 or higher generally immediatelyafter that passenger group's trip information has been entered.

In addition to individual and joint travel requirements or preferences,controls may be added so that the user can specify how to prioritizejoint solutions. For example, controls can allow the user to weigh totalcost against total travel time and against meeting common travelpreferences. In one example, a menu can be displayed at the stagedepicted in FIG. 5 of several different preference functions.

In one alternative embodiment, the user interface does not includecontrols for specifying individual and joint travel requirements orpreferences. Rather the controls specify heuristics. Such heuristics (A,B, C) are used to generate joint travel requirements and preferenceswithout user verification. For example, if a heuristic A applies, then ajoint travel preference function penalizes joint solutions that do notinvolve shared travel for the trip portion.

In addition to individual and joint travel requirements or preferences,controls may be added so that the user may specify how to prioritizejoint solutions. For example, a control may be added to weight totalcost against total travel time against meeting common travelpreferences. For example, a menu of several different preferencefunctions can be displayed at the stage depicted in FIG. 5.

Solving with Independent Searches

Although MPMR travel queries can be answered by a TPS that executesalgorithms specialized for MPMR queries, it may be desirable toconstruct a system for responding to MPMR queries from an existing TPSthat does not support MPMR queries. A system for responding to MPMRqueries from an existing TPS could be used by a travel web site thatdesired to answer MPMR queries but did not have its own TPS and insteadanswered questions by posing queries to existing TPSes.

Referring to FIG. 6, one technique 70 to solve MPMR travel problems isto pose 72 independent LFS queries to a TPS for each passenger group.Each query produces a list of individual solutions appropriate for thepassenger group. The process 70 receives 74 these lists from, e.g., theTPS. These lists of individual solutions are combined to produce jointsolutions. Combining of the joint solutions includes producing 76 across product of the lists of individual solutions to produce list ofpotential joint solutions, and filtering 78 the list of potential jointsolutions to eliminate potential joint solutions that violate jointtravel requirements. The joint solutions are reported 79 to the client11.

However, producing a cross-product may consume excessive resources forconstructing and filtering the list of potential joint solutions, sincethe number of potential (unfiltered) joint solutions is equal to theproduct of the number of individual solutions for each passenger group(thus polynomial in the number of individual solutions per passengergroup and exponential in the number of passenger groups).

Another technique that avoids this problem is to index individualsolutions according to those aspects of the solutions that are relevantfor evaluating joint requirements or preferences. The TPS uses theindices rather than individual solutions to combine the individualsolutions.

Referring to FIG. 7, a process 80 (also referred to as algorithm Abelow) to produce joint solutions is shown. Terminology used herein istaken from pseudo-code which appears subsequently. The process 80 poses82 individual queries for each passenger group G(i), producingIndividual Solutions(i) and receives 83 the Individual Solutions(i) foreach passenger group. The process 80 computes 84 indices for thosesolutions in a solutions set, Solutions(i) and uses the indices toconstruct 86 a factored AND/OR graph representation of the jointsolutions. The process 80 manipulates 88 the AND/OR graph representationto enumerate or otherwise manipulate joint solutions.

Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, details on computing 84 indices for thesolutions in solutions(i) and constructing 86 a factored representationare shown. For computing 84 indices, for each solution “S” 84 a inSolutions(i) the process 84, computes 84 b an index I of S that is basedon joint travel requirements and preferences. The process 84 adds theindex I to table Indices(i) and adds “S” to an OR node “ORNode(i)(I)” tothe table Indices(i) built from all solutions for group i of index I.

For each index I in the table Indices(1) 86 a, the process 86 adds 86 bCI=<I> to CombinedIndices(1). The process letsGraph(1)(CI)=ORNode(i)(I).

For each passenger i>1 86 c, the process 86 tests 86 d compatibility tothe joint travel requirements. Thus, for each index I in Indices(i), andeach combined index PreviousCI in CombinedIndicies(i−1) if PreviousCIand I are compatible with respect to joint travel requirements, theprocess 86 lets 86 e CI=<PreviousCI+I>, adds CI to CombinedIndices(i)and adds AND(Graph(i−1)(PreviousCI)), ORNode(i)(I) to OR nodeGraph(i)(CI). The process 86 returns 86 f OR node over all Graph(n)(CI)nodes.

Joint travel requirements and preferences are based on one or more ofthe following aspects (among other similar possibilities) of individualsolutions:

1. departure airport for a trip segment

2. arrival airport for a trip segment

3. departure date and time for a trip segment

4. arrival date and time for a trip segment

5. first flight of a trip segment

6. last flight of a trip segment

7. all flights of a trip segment

8. as per 5-7, but operational flights (allowing different PGs to usedifferent published airlines and flight numbers, in the case of codeshares, so long as they are on the same airplane)

The information from an individual solution necessary for combining itwith other individual solutions can be summarized by a list of tuples,as:

<TripSegment, Aspect, AspectValue>

For example, suppose a three-passenger group MPMR query is posed:

Passenger group 1:

-   -   1. NYC->LAX May 12    -   2. LAX->NYC May 17

Passenger group 2:

-   -   1. NYC->LAX May 12    -   2. LAX->SAN May 16    -   3. SAN->NYC May 17

Passenger group 3:

-   -   1. NYC->LAX May 12

The groups specify the following joint travel requirements:

All passenger groups depart the same NYC airport within two hours of oneanother and arrive within two hours of one another.

Passenger groups 1 and 2 arrive back in NYC on the same flight. Thegroups specify the following joint travel preferences:

All passenger groups depart the same NYC airport on the same flight.

For purposes of combining individual solutions, individual solutions canbe indexed according to the following information, because this is theonly information used by the joint travel requirements and joint travelpreferences:

Passenger group 1:

<1, “departure airport”, VALUE> <1, “departure time”, VALUE> <1, “firstflight”, VALUE> <1, “arrival time”, VALUE> <2, “last flight”, VALUE>

Passenger group 2:

<1, “departure airport”, VALUE> <1, “departure time”, VALUE> <1, “firstflight”, VALUE> <1, “arrival time”, VALUE> <3, “last flight”, VALUE>

Passenger group 3:

<1, “departure airport”, VALUE> <1, “departure time”, VALUE> <1, “firstflight”, VALUE> <1, “arrival time”, VALUE>

If passenger group 1 has the following individual solutions

A.

1. EWR->LAX depart May 12 3:00p, arrive May 12th 8:00p (AA131)

2. LAX->EWR depart May 17 1:00p, arrive May 12th 9:00p (AA132)

B.

1. LGA->LAX depart May 12 3:30p, arrive May 12th 8:20p (UA100)

2. LAX->LGA depart May 17 9:00a, arrive May 12th 7:00p (UA15, UA27)

C.

1. LGA->LAX depart May 12 3:30p, arrive May 12th 8:20p (UA100)

2. LAX->LGA depart May 17 10:00a, arrive May 12th 7:00p (UA59, UA27)

then these would be indexed as follows:

INDEX SOLUTIONS {<1, “departure airport”, EWR> { A } <1, “departuretime”, 3:00p> <1, “first flight”,AA131> <1, “arrival time”,8:00p> <2,“last flight”, AA132>} {<1, “departure airport”, LGA> { BC } <1,“departure time”, 3:30p> <1, “first flight”,UA100> <1, “arrivaltime”,8:20p> <2, “last flight”, UA27>}

Joint travel requirements and preferences are expressed in terms ofindividual indices rather than individual solutions. For example, therequirement that passenger groups 1 and 2 arrive back in NYC on the sameflight can be expressed as:

For <2, “last flight”, VALUE1> in passenger group 1 index and <3, “lastflight”, VALUE2> in passenger group 2 index, require VALUE1=VALUE2.

The requirement that all passengers depart the same NYC airport withintwo hours of one another can be expressed as:

For <1, “departure airport”, VALUE1> in passenger group 1 index and <1,“departure time”, VALUE2> in passenger group 1 index and <1, “departureairport”, VALUE3> in passenger group 2 index and <1, “departure time”,VALUE4> in passenger group 2 index and <1, “departure airport”, VALUE5>in passenger group 3 index and <1, “departure time”, VALUE6> inpassenger group 3 index,

require VALUE1=VALUE3=VALUE5 and max (VALUE2, VALUE4, VALUE6)−min(VALUE2, VALUE4, VALUE6)<=2 hrs.

The preference that all passengers depart NYC on the same flight can beexpressed as:

For <1, “first flight”, VALUE1> in passenger group 1 index and <1,“first flight”, VALUE2> in passenger group 2 index and <1, “firstflight”, VALUE3> in passenger group 3 index,

if (VALUE1 !=VALUE2) assess $50 penalty

if (VALUE2 !=VALUE3) assess $50 penalty

if (VALUE3 !=VALUE1) assess $50 penalty

Here $50 penalties are shown. However, different values or methods forpenalizing solutions can also be used. Other index representations canbe chosen, so long as they are able to summarize the information inindividual solutions necessary to evaluate joint preferences andconstraints.

Since all the information necessary to construct joint solutions iscontained within the indices, it is possible to construct a factoredrepresentation of joint solutions by building a representation of allthe possible combinations of individual solution indices, and linkingfrom individual indices to those solutions with the index. One advantageof this algorithm over producing a cross-product of individual solutionsis that it is much more efficient in space and time in the case wheremany individual solutions have the same indices.

One type of factored representation is an AND/OR graph that compactlyrepresents a set of joint solutions. The AND/OR graph is manipulatedusing algorithms of de Marcken (U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,808) with atranslation that terminal elements are individual solutions and jointpreference violations. Joint preference functions are translated intothe AND/OR graph formalism by constructing a value function thatindependently assigns values to individuals solutions that reflect thecost of that solution without regard to joint travel preferences, andalso assigns values to joint preference violations, that reflectcross-passenger-group penalties. Details of such a technique arediscussed below.

Thus, process 80, e.g., Algorithm A constructs a factored AND/OR graphthat represents a multitude of joint solutions as combinations ofindividual solutions, where the structure of the graph is determined bythe indices of individual solutions. From this AND/OR graph, algorithmsclosely analogous to the algorithms of de Marcken (U.S. Pat. No.6,275,808) can be used extract one or more joint solutions, to listjoint solutions in an order determined by a preference function, todetermine the lowest joint price for any joint solution that has aparticular individual solution, and so forth.

In Algorithm A sending individual queries to the TPS can be performed inparallel (concurrently), so as to reduce total latency of response.

Pseudo code for Algorithm A is set forth below:

define compute-AND/OR-graph  input: passenger groups G(1) ... G(n)   individual travel queries IQ(1) ... IQ(n)    joint travelrequirements JTR    joint travel preferences JTP  // initialize datastructures  for each i from 1 to n  IndexTemplates(i) = ComputeIndividualSolutionIndexTemplate(JTR, JTP, i)  let Indices(i) beset of all individual solution indices for G(i),  each entry initializedto { }  let Solutions(i)(I) be set of all individual solutions for G(i)with index I,  each entry initialized to { }  let ORNode(i)(I) be tableof OR graph nodes representing choice over all  solutions inSolutions(i)(I)  // For each passenger group pose individual queries and // group solutions into OR nodes by index  for each i from 1 to n //may be performed in parallel (concurrently)  Solutions(i) = poseindividual query IQ(i) for passenger  group G(i) to TPS for eachsolution S in Solutions(i)   let I = IndividualSolutionIndex(S,IndexTemplates(i))   Solutions(i)(I) += S   Indices(i) =union(Indices(i), { I })  for each index I in Indices(i)   let S =Solutions(i)(I)   ORNode(i)(I) = ConstructORGraphNode(S(1), S(2), ...) // Working from passenger group 1 to n, calculate combined indices for // passenger groups 1 ... i by combining those indices for passenger // group i with the combined indices from steps 1 ... i−1; each  //combined index for 1 ... i is represented by its own AND/OR  graph node let CombinedIndices(i) be set of “combined indices” for G(1) ... G(i), where combined index CI = <I(1), ..., I(i)> represents conjunction of individual indices, each entry initialized to { }  let Graph(i)(CI) betable of graph nodes indexed by the combined  index CI  for each I inIndices(1)  CI = <I>  CombinedIndices(1) += CI  Graph(1)(CI) =ORNode(1)(I)  for each i from 2 to n  let ANDNodes(CI) be list of ANDnodes for the combined index CI,   each entry initialized to { }  foreach I in Indices(i)   for each PreviousCI in CombinedIndices(i−1)    GN= Graph(i−1)(PreviousCI)    ifCompatibleWithJointTravelRequirements(PreviousCI, I, JTR)     let PV =CollectJointPreferenceViolations(PreviousCI, I, JTP)     let CI =CombineIndices(PreviousCI, I)     CombinedIndices(i) =union(CombinedIndices(i), { CI })     ANDNodes(CI) +=ConstructANDNode(GN, ORNode(i)(I), PV)   for each CI inCombinedIndices(i)    let A = ANDNodes(CI)    Graph(i)(CI) =ConstructORNode(A(1), A(2), ...)  // Construct the final graph bycombining the nodes for all  combined indices  let G = { }  for each CIin CombinedIndices(n)  G += Graph(n)(CI)  return ConstructORNode(G(1),G(2), ...) define CombineIndices(PreviousCI, I(i))  // PreviousCI = <I(1), ..., I(i−1) > is combined index for G(1)...G(i−1);  // I(i) isindex for passenger group G(i); combine by concatenating  return < I(1),..., I(i−1), I(i) > defineCompatibleWithJointTravelRequirements(PreviousCI, I(i), JTR)  //PreviousCI = < I(1), ..., I(i−1 > is combined index for G(1)...G(i−1); // I(i) is index for passenger group G(i); JTR is specication of jointtravel  // requirements  (Return True if I(i) is consistent with I(1)... I(n); or conversely,  return False if the joint requirements JTR areincompatible  with I(1) ... I(i) regardless of the choice of indices forgroups  G(i+1) ... G(n). defineCollectJointPreferenceViolations(PreviousCI, I(i), JTP)  // PreviousCI =< I(1), ..., I(i−1) > is combined index for G(1)...G(i−1);  // I(i) isindex for passenger group G(i) JTP is specification of joint travel  //preferences  (Produce and return list of travel preference violations involving passenger group G(i) and one or more of G(1) ... G(i−1), but not any of G(i+1) ... G(n.)

Algorithm A produces an AND/OR graph with individual solutions asterminals that represents through its structure the ways thoseindividual solutions may be combined to provide joint solutions thatsatisfy the joint travel requirements.

Some of the solutions may violate joint travel preferences, but thefunction “CollectJointPreferenceViolations” can be used to determinejoint preference violations by examining the individual solution indicesfor each passenger and comparing against the joint preferences,recording violations in a data structure.

CollectJointPreferenceViolations (CI, I (i), JTP) produces a list ofviolations of preferences involving passenger group G(i) and groups G(1). . . G(i−1), but not any of G(i+1) . . . G(n).

In some circumstances, algorithm A is not necessarily the most efficientway to combine the indices of individual queries to produce arepresentation of the valid joint indices. This is particularly the casewhen there are three or more passenger groups that do not share alljoint travel requirements. For example, suppose passengers A, B, C and D(a pair of couples) are planning a round-trip vacation in which all fourwish to arrive at the destination within 2 hrs of one another, A and Bdemand to fly together outbound, and C and D demand to fly togetheroutbound (there are no requirements or preferences on the return portionof the journey). The same-time preference forces all four passengers'trips to be planned jointly, but it is not necessary to consider theindividual flights of A and B when planning the trip for C and D, onlythe outbound arrival time. In such a case, it is not necessary toaccumulate all individual index information in combined indices.

Referring to FIG. 7C, a more computationally efficient process 90 can beprovided by modifying the CombineIndices function of 86 e (FIG. 7B) toprovide a CombineIndices function 92 that can cull from its responseindex information from passengers G(1) . . . G(i) that is not necessaryfor the evaluation of the joint preferences and requirements betweenthose passengers and passengers G(i+1) . . . G(n). In the example, thiswould enable arrival time information from passenger A to be culledafter processing passenger B, flight information from passengers A and Bafter processing passenger B, and arrival time information from allpassengers after processing passenger C.

As an example of algorithm execution, suppose that after the fourindividual queries were posed, the solutions returned for each passengerare as follows:

Solutions:

Price/ Psgrs Outbound Arrival Return psgr 1 A, B BOS->LAX UA100 5:30pmLAX->BOS UA300 $520 2 A, B BOS->LAX UA100 5:30pm LAX->BOS UA391 $700 3A, B BOS->LAX UA125 5:30pm LAX->BOS UA391 $700 4 A, B BOS->LAX UA2003:00pm LAX->BOS UA300 $610 5 A BOS->LAX UA200 3:00pm LAX->BOS UA391 $5006 C, D MIA->LAX AA710 4:15pm LAX->MIA AA150 $400 7 C, D MIA->LAX AA9001:10pm LAX->MIA AA150 $400 8 C, D MIA->LAX AA900 1:10pm LAX->MIA AA200$410

The individual indices for each passenger and the component solutionsare as follows:

Psgr Index Name Solutions Index A A1 1, 2 { <1, “arrival time”, 5:30pm>, <1, “flights”, UA100> } A A2 3 { <1, “arrival time”, 5:30 pm>, <1,“flights”, UA125> } A A3 4, 5 { <1, “arrival time”, 3:00 pm>, <1,“flights”, UA200> } B B1 1, 2 { <1, “arrival time”, 5:30 pm>, <1,“flights”, UA100> } B B2 3 { <1, “arrival time”, 5:30 pm>, <1,“flights”, UA125> } B B3 4 { <1, “arrival time”, 3:00 pm>, <1,“flights”, UA200> } C C1 6 { <1, “arrival time”, 4:15 pm>, <1,“flights”, AA710> } C C2 7, 8 { <1, “arrival time”, 1:10 pm>, <1,“flights”, AA900> } D D1 6 { <1, “arrival time”, 4:15 pm>, <1,“flights”, AA710> } D D2 7, 8 { <1, “arrival time”, 1:10 pm>, <1,“flights”, AA900> }

If processing takes place from passenger A to passenger D, then afterprocessing passenger A the combined indices are:

Combined Indices:

< { <1, “arrival time”, 5:30pm>, <1, “flights”, UA100> } > < { <1,“arrival time”, 5:30pm>, <1, “flights”, UA125> } > < { <1, “arrivaltime”, 3:00pm>, <1, “flights”, UA200> } >

After processing passenger B, using the more naive form of thealgorithm, the combined indices are:

< { <1, “arrival time”, 5:30pm>, <1, “flights”, UA100> },  { <1,“arrival time”, 5:30pm>, <1, “flights”, UA100> } > < { <1, “arrivaltime”, 5:30pm>, <1, “flights”, UA125> },  { <1, “arrival time”, 5:30pm>,<1, “flights”, UA125> } < { <1, “arrival time”, 3:00pm>, <1, “flights”,UA200> },  { <1, “arrival time”, 3:00pm>, <1, “flights”, UA200> } >

However, in the more sophisticated “culling” version 90 theCombineIndices function 92 (FIG. 7C) drops non-relevant information fromcombined indices, e.g., information with respect to combination withsubsequent passengers (e.g., flight information), producing thefollowing smaller number of combined indices:

< { }, { <1, “arrival time”, 5:30pm> } > < { }, { <1, “arrival time”,3:00pm> } >

After processing passenger C, using the culling version of the process(process 90 FIG. 7C), the combined indices are:

< { }, { }, { <1, “flights”, AA710> } > < { }, { }, { <1, “flights”,AA900> } >

The joint travel requirements prevent the combination of 1:10 arrivalsfor passenger C with 5:30 arrivals for passengers A and B.

With culling version of the CombineIndices function 92, the final AND/ORgraphical representation is:

Node Type Daughters Represents 1 OR Solution 1, Solution 2 A index: {<1, “arrival time”, 5:30pm>, <1, “flights”, UA100> } 2 OR Solution 3 Aindex: { <1, “arrival time”, 5:30 pm>, <1, “flights”, UA125> } 3 ORSolution 4, Solution 5 A index: { <1, “arrival time”, 3:00 pm>, <1,“flights”, UA200> } 4 OR Solution 1, Solution 2 B index: { <1, “arrivaltime”, 5:30 pm>, <1, “flights”, UA100> } 5 OR Solution 3 B index: { <1,“arrival time”, 5:30 pm>, <1, “flights”, UA125> } 6 OR Solution 4 Bindex: { <1, “arrival time”, 3:00 pm>, <1, “flights”, UA200> } 7 ANDNode 1, Node 4 A&B combination 8 AND Node 2, Node 5 A&B combination 9AND Node 3, Node 6 A&B combination 10 OR Node 7, Node 8 combined index:< { }, { <1, “arrival time”, 5:30 pm> } > 11 OR Node 9 combined index: <{ }, { <1, “arrival time”, 3:00 pm> } > 12 OR Solution 6 C index: { <1,“arrival time”, 4:15 pm>, <1, “flights”, AA710> } 13 OR Solution 7,Solution 8 C index: { <1, “arrival time”, 1:10 pm>, <1, “flights”,AA900> } 14 AND Node 10, Node 12 A&B&C combination 15 AND Node 11, Node12 A&B&C combination 16 AND Node 11, Node 13 A&B&C combination 17 ORNode 14, Node 15 combined index: < { }, { }, { <1, “flights”, AA710 >} > 18 OR Node 16 combined index: < { }, { }, { <1, “flights”, AA900 >} > 19 OR Solution 6 D index: { <1, “arrival time”, 4:15 pm>, <1,“flights”, AA710> } 20 OR Solution 7, Solution 8 D index: { <1, “arrivaltime”, 1:10 pm>, <1, “flights”, AA900> } 21 AND Node 17, Node 19 A&B&C&Dcombination 22 AND Node 18, Node 20 A&B&C&D combination 23 OR Node 21,Node 22 total graph

Using the techniques discussed in (de Marcken, U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,808),it is possible to calculate for every node the number of solutionsrepresented and minimum price of those solutions:

Node Type Daughters Num solutions Min Price 1 OR Solution 1, Solution 22 $520 2 OR Solution 3 1 $700 3 OR Solution 4, Solution 5 2 $500 4 ORSolution 1, Solution 2 2 $520 5 OR Solution 3 1 $700 6 OR Solution 4 1$610 7 AND Node 1, Node 4 4 $1040 8 AND Node 2, Node 5 1 $1400 9 ANDNode 3, Node 6 2 $1110 10 OR Node 7, Node 8 5 $1040 11 OR Node 9 2 $111012 OR Solution 6 1 $400 13 OR Solution 7, Solution 8 2 $400 14 AND Node10, Node 12 5 $1440 15 AND Node 11, Node 12 2 $1510 16 AND Node 11, Node13 4 $1510 17 OR Node 14, Node 15 7 $1440 18 OR Node 16 4 $1510 19 ORSolution 6 1 $400 20 OR Solution 7, Solution 8 2 $400 21 AND Node 17,Node 19 7 $1840 22 AND Node 18, Node 20 8 $1910 23 OR Node 21, Node 2215 $1840

Thus, the graph represents 15 joint solutions and the cheapest jointsolution is $1840. The techniques disclosed in de Marcken (U.S. Pat. No.6,257,808) can be used to extract the cheapest joint solution, enumeratethe joint solutions, compute the lowest total price given that aparticular passenger chooses a particular individual solution, and soforth.

Conventional techniques for structuring graphical model computations toimprove efficiency can be adapted for the purposes of improving theefficiency of the process of combining individual solutions to produce afactored representation of joint solutions. In this way, conventionalalgorithms such as the “junction tree algorithm” can be adapted toimprove the efficiency of Algorithm A. In particular, the manner inwhich passenger groups are processed to produce combined indices can bestructured as a tree with the topology determined by the nature of thejoint travel requirements, so that the size of combined indices isminimized.

Since, the only information that is necessary to construct jointsolutions from individual solutions is contained within the index of theindividual solution, it is beneficial for a TPS to return individualsolutions with as many different individual indices as possible, ratherthan returning multiple solutions with the same individual index. Thismaximizes the effective “coverage” of the individual query, increasingthe chance of producing at least one individual solution that meetsjoint travel requirements.

Some TPSes offer control over the selection of solutions and in such acase, the controls can be to maximize individual index diversity. Anexample of such a TPS is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/431,365 filed, November “METHOD FOR GENERATING A DIVERSE SET OFTRAVEL OPTIONS” de Marcken (pending) incorporated herein by reference.In the de Marcken application, the TPS chooses the best solutions thatmeet each of a set of diversity criteria. Such a TPS is particularlydesirable for the purposes of this algorithm, and if the TPS offersquerier control over the diversity criteria used, the querier shouldchoose the diversity criteria to match the components of the passengergroup's individual index.

An alternative method that may increase the chance of individual queriesproducing individual solutions that will match up well with theindividual solutions of other individual queries is to impose similarbiases across all queries. Returning to the 3-passenger-group examplethat introduces solution indices (above), if there are many possibleflight combinations from LAX to NYC and SAN to NYC, then the individualqueries for passenger groups 1 and 2 may not produce many solutions withthe same final flight into NYC, especially since there are severalpossible NYC airports.

However, the probability of individual solutions sharing the same finalflight increases if the individual queries for passenger groups 1 and 2both favor the same kinds of flights such as morning flights. If a TPSpermits querier control over the preference function used to selectsolutions, then the querier can request the TPS to favor individualsolutions with particular properties, increasing the chance of similarsolutions being produced across all the different individual queries. Asan example, each query can request that price ties be broken to favorthe JFK airport, and after that the arrival that is closest to noon.

One potential problem with constructing joint solutions from individualsolutions produced by traditional TPS queries is that because of seatcapacity limitations it may not be possible to purchase the jointsolutions. This happens when each individual solution depends onpurchasing the last seat of a flight.

One way to avoid this possibility is to artificially increase thepassenger counts for individual queries. For example, if the secondpassenger group might use the same flights for some portion of the tripas the first passenger group, then the second passenger group'spassenger counts are increased to include those passengers from thefirst passenger group. Therefore, the second passenger group's querywill not produce answers unless there are enough seats available forboth the first passenger group and the second. Similarly, the thirdpassenger group's counts are increased by the sum of the first twogroups (if there is any possibility of flight overlap). If such atechnique is used, the prices for the individual solutions are adjustedto subtract out the cost of the inflated passenger counts.

Alternatively, the TPS may be adapted so that the querier can provideseat availability counts to be subtracted from flights during the courseof the TPSes normal execution. In this manner, the TPS directly accountsfor other passenger groups, without having to artificially modify thecounts of the passenger group being submitted.

It may be that even with the use of these techniques, no joint solutionsare found. This would most likely occur in two circumstances:

1. Too many joint travel requirements are imposed, or joint travelrequirements are too detailed, such that the chance of individualsolutions with matching indices being produced by independently posedqueries is small.

This is likely to happen if same-flight requirements are imposed,especially if for more than one trip segment.

2. Joint travel requirements can only be met if one passenger group usesindividual solutions that are substantially worse than other individualsolutions, ignoring joint travel requirements and preferences. Thismight happen in the following situation.

PG 1: 1. SEA->SFO, May 1

PG2: 1. LAX->SFO, May 1

Because the two origins are so far geographically separated, it isunlikely that any flight combinations produced in isolation for eitherorigin will have the same final flight.

A technique for finding joint solutions in these cases is to constrainone or more individual queries in such a way to increase the likelihoodof producing individual solutions that satisfy the joint query. Atechnique for constraining 100 in this way is as follows:

Referring now To FIG. 8, a technique 100 to constrain individual queriesis shown. The technique initializes 101 a list of constraints“Constraints.” The technique poses 102 individual queries to the TPS 12according to the constraints and combines 104 the results received fromthe TPS 12 to produce joint solutions, for example using algorithm A. Atan initial posing of the queries the Constraints is initialized t anull, e.g., having no constraints. The process tests 106 the number ofjoint solutions produced. If sufficient numbers are produced, theprocess reports 112 the joint solutions. If no joint solutions orinsufficient number of joint solutions are produced, the process 100examines 108 the joint travel requirements to find the smallest subsetthat cannot be satisfied. The examining involves choosing the passengergroup whose individual solutions exhibit the least diversity withrespect to the subset of joint travel requirements (i.e., that have thefewest number of “sub-indices” for the subset of unsatisfiable jointtravel requirements). For that passenger group, selecting one or more ofthe passenger group's sub-indices and calculating for every otherpassenger group the set of possible indices compatible with them(irrespective of whether those indices were generated). The process adds110 new constraints to the list Constraints and modifies 112 theindividual queries to constrain the queries with the constraints, e.g.,to the indices calculated, as above. The process restarts by posing 102the constrained individual queries to the TPS.

As an example, if it is not possible to produce joint solutions becausethere are no individual solutions for passenger groups 1 and 2 thatshare the same departure time (within 2 hours) for trip segment 1 andlast flight into NYC for trip segment for passenger group 2 andpassenger group 3, then passenger groups 1 and 2 are compared to findout which has the smallest number of combinations of departure time andlast flight into NYC. Suppose it is passenger group 1. The processselects the index that has the cheapest individual solution forpassenger group 1; suppose it is departure at 6 pm and last flight NW12,the process is restarted, constraining each individual query such thatit is consistent with 6 pm/NW12 for passenger group 1. That is, thefirst passenger group query is constrained to those exact values,whereas passenger groups 2 and 3 are constrained to departure of tripsegment 1 within two hours of 6 pm, and passenger group 2 is furtherconstrained to have arrival flight for the 3rd trip segment of NW12.

A further technique for attempting to find joint solutions in the casewhere none are otherwise found addresses the same problem as biasing thesolutions does: there may be so many possible individual solutions thatthe chance of the TPS returning individual solutions that match issmall. The technique assumes that the TPS can return a set of individualsolutions sufficiently large to exhibit variation on each individualdimension (e.g., each trip segment) but not sufficiently large topopulate the total set of dimensions. For example, consider a twotrip-segment case where two passengers seek similar outbound and returnsflights, but there are 100 possible flight combinations outbound and 100possible flight combination on the return, and the TPS can only return500 solutions to an individual query. Since there are 10,000 possibletotal trips for each passenger, and the TPS is only returning 5% of themfor each individual query, if answers are chosen mostly at random theexpected number of exact matches across both passengers is small.

However, the individual solutions returned by a TPS may exhibitsubstantial variation in the flights of each trip segment. If the TPScan return 500 solutions, it may be able to return the cheapest solutionfor each outbound flight combination and also the cheapest solution foreach return flight combination. (An example of such a TPS is describedin U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/431,365 filed, November “METHODFOR GENERATING A DIVERSE SET OF TRAVEL OPTIONS” de Marcken (pending)).

Given sets of individual solutions with substantial single-dimensionvariation, the MPMR TPS can rate aspects of the trip (such as outboundflight combinations) using the sum of the values of the best individualsolution matching that aspect, summed over all passenger groups. Thus,outbound flight combinations receive a joint rating and return flightcombinations receive a joint rating.

It may be that the TPS does not produce individual solutions sufficientfor constructing a joint solution from the best-rated outbound andbest-rated return flight combinations. That may only be because ofchance, not because such solutions would not be valid. Therefore, theTPS can be re-queried biasing each individual query to favor thebest-joint-rated aspects, greatly increasing the chance that solutionswill be combinable.

As another example, suppose two passengers, one an adult and one asenior, wish to travel round-trip from BOS to LAX together, but they arewilling to save money by traveling on separate flights (they have asame-flight preference, but not requirement). Suppose all outbound andreturn flight combinations on the same carrier have identical prices,the senior gets a small discount, and because of idiosyncrasies in theTPS, slightly different choices of individual solutions than the adult.The response to each individual query is as follows:

Psgr 1 solutions:

BOS->LAX LAX->BOS Price 1: DL 100 DL 500 $300 2: DL 102 DL 502 $300 3:UA 300 UA 700 $310 4: DL 101 DL 501 $300 5: UA 301 UA 701 $310 6: UA 302UA 702 $310

Psgr 2 solutions:

BOS->LAX LAX->BOS Price 1: DL 102 DL 505 $270 2: UA 300 UA 701 $271 3:UA 302 UA 700 $271 4: UA 301 UA 702 $271 5: DL 100 DL 501 $270 6: DL 101DL 502 $270

In this example, there are no solutions with common flights outbound andreturn. However, the MPMR TPS can compute a joint rating for eachtrip-segment option, and use the rating to rank outbound and returnpossibilities:

Psgr 1 Psgr 2 Joint BOS->LAX DL 100 $300 $270 $570 DL 101 $300 $270 $570DL 102 $300 $270 $570 UA 300 $310 $271 $581 UA 301 $310 $271 $581 UA 302$310 $271 $581 LAX->BOS DL 500 $300 $270 $570 DL 501 $300 $270 $570 UA700 $310 $271 $581 UA 701 $310 $271 $581 UA 702 $310 $271 $581 DL 502$300 — — DL 505 — $270 —

Given the ranking, the TPS can be re-queried in a manner that biasesresponses to highly ranked possibilities. For example, the TPS could belimited to exploring the top options for each trip segment (such aslimited to DL 100 and 101 outbound and DL 500 and DL 501 return). Ifthis is done, the responses to the follow-up queries are much morelikely to include common solutions:

Psgr 1 solutions:

BOS->LAX LAX->BOS Price 1: DL 100 DL 500 $300 2: DL 100 DL 501 $300 3:DL 102 DL 500 $300 4: DL 102 DL 501 $300

Psgr 2 solutions:

BOS->LAX LAX->BOS Price 1: DL 100 DL 500 $270 2: DL 100 DL 501 $270 3:DL 102 DL 500 $270 4: DL 102 DL 501 $270

Referring to FIG. 9, an MPMR process 120 that uses ratings and rankingsis shown. The process 120 initializes 121 a data structure Constraints={}, and poses 122 individual queries subject to the Constraints. Thequeries can be posed concurrently. If the TPS supports diversitycontrol, the TPS will request diversity on each aspect of trip relevantto joint travel requirements/conditions. The process will computesolutions 124, e.g., using the technique described above in FIGS. 7A,7B. The process 120 determines 126 if sufficient number of jointsolutions exist. If a sufficient number exist, the process returns 136the solutions and quits. Otherwise, 128 for each aspect of the triprelevant to joint travel requirements/conditions, the process makes alist of possibilities, e.g., possible itineraries returned in anyindividual solution (for this example, a list of outbound itinerariesand a list of return itineraries). For each aspect possibility, theprocess computes 130 a rating by summing over passengers of bestindividual solution value for any solution involving the aspectpossibility. For each aspect, the process selects 132 a small number ofthe best-ranked possibilities and sets 134 the Constraints to limit thesolutions to those possibilities and returns to pose the individualqueries and repeat the process.

In some cases, it may be that possibilities for certain aspects appearin the solutions for some but not all passenger groups, as per the DL502 and DL 505 flights in the example above. If the possibilities arehighly ranked for the passenger groups they appear in, it may bepossible to alter the constraints in such a way to cause thepossibilities to be generated for all passenger groups in the nextiteration.

The techniques disclosed above pose several individual queriesindependently, that is, without taking into consideration any dependencybetween the individual queries. One advantage to such techniques is thatthe individual queries (IQs) can be posed concurrently, reducing thelatency of responses. However, there are several disadvantages toindependent searches, such as the difficulty in ensuring that thesolutions produced by each align with each other with respect to jointrequirements and preferences.

One simpler solution to this problem is to pose individual queries (IQs)consecutively, using the results from one query to constrain the nextquery. This can be done either with or without interactive input fromthe user in between queries.

Referring to FIG. 10, an incremental searching technique 140 is shown(Algorithm B). The incremental searching process 140 optionally can sort142 passenger groups in such a way that those with the most constrainedtrips appear earlier. The incremental searching process 140 produces 144tables (ISes) of individual solutions, one per passenger group. Theprocess 140 chooses 145 a group, e.g., the first unprocessed passengergroup. From the chosen passenger group the process derives 146 from theISes and joint travel requirements a set of constraints “C” on theindividual query “IQ” for the chosen passenger group. The process poses148 to the TPS an individual query for that passenger group, with thequery being modified with the derived constraints. The process 140receives 150 a set of solutions returned from the TPS 12. The TPSreturns the set of solutions in a list, e.g., Solutions. The processfilters from the list Solutions those solutions that are incompatiblewith ISes. This is necessary only if the set of constraints C does notreflect all of the constraints imposed by ISes. The process chooses 152an individual solution from the list Solutions, either manually orautomatically and adds the selected individual solution to the list ISesand tests 154 to see if the process 140 has completed processing of allgroups. If complete, the process returns 156 the lists ISes, otherwisethe process chooses 145 the next unprocessed passenger group.

Sorting the passenger groups so that the most constrained appear first,is not necessary but can result in substantially simpler individualqueries. As an example of how to sort the passenger groups, thosepassenger groups with the fewest number of trip segments, or shortestdeparture or arrival time ranges, or most joint requirements, can besorted first.

From the set of individual solutions for a subset of PGs, constraintsare derived that are added to the individual queries that are sent forsubsequent passenger groups.

Suppose for example that after processing passenger groups 1 and 2,

ISes = { { PG1: Dec 14 SFO->LGA 1pm UA100, Dec 20 LGA->SFO 5pm UA200 },{ PG2: Dec 18 PWM->JFK 5pm US300, Dec 20 JFK->SFO 2pm US220 } }

there are two joint travel requirements between passenger group PG 3 andprior passenger groups PGs 1 and 2:

PG3: travel from SFO to NYC on December 14, on same flights as PG 1travel from NYC to SFO on December 20, leaving same airport as PG2 atapproximately the same time

Examining the individual solutions for passenger groups PGs 1 and 2already in ISes, one constraint derived from the joint travelrequirements is that passenger group PG3 travels from SFO to LGA onflight UA100, and on December 20th departs JFK at approximately 2 pm.These constraints can be added to the original IQ for PG 3, ensuringthat only individual solutions compatible with PGs 1 & 2 trips arereturned. If it is not possible to express a derived constraint in aform that the TPS can accept, it may be ignored and incompatiblesolutions filtered, though this is not desirable.

A single solution from those compatible with previous ISes is chosen. Itmay be chosen automatically, such as by choosing the cheapest or mostconvenient solution, or the set of solutions may be presented to thequerier for one to be manually selected. If no solutions remain, so thatnone can be selected, one option is to backtrack and choose a differentsolution for an earlier IQ. Another is to backtrack and re-orderpassenger groups PGs.

More powerful forms of incremental search are possible. The incrementalsearching technique 140 (FIG. 10) keeps tally of only one partial jointsolution, a very narrow form of search.

Process 80 can be modified so that multiple partial combined solutionsare accumulated, so that the table of individual solutions ISes isreplaced with a set of tables, each representing a different partialjoint solution.

Referring to FIGS. 11A-11B, an alternative incremental searchingtechnique 160 is shown. The alternative incremental searching technique160 sorts 162 passenger groups in such a way that those with the mostconstrained trips appear earlier, as discussed above. The alternativeincremental searching technique 160 provides a set of IS tables“SetOfISes.” The alternative incremental searching 60 technique chooses166 an unprocessed passenger group and derives 168 from SetOfISes andthe joint travel requirements a set of constraints C on the individualqueries for PG that passenger group. The alternative incrementalsearching technique poses 170 to the travel planning system individualqueries (IQ) for that passenger group (PG) with the individual queriesIQ modified with the constraints C. The alternative incrementalsearching technique 160 receives 172 a set of solutions “Solutions” fromthe TPS 12. The solutions are filtered 174 from “Solutions” set toremove any incompatible solutions that are incompatible with every ISeswithin SetOfISes. The filtering 174 is necessary only if the set ofconstraints C does not reflect all of the constraints imposed bySetOfISes. The alternative incremental searching technique 160 chooses176 some number of individual solutions in Solutions(i), eithermanually, e.g., using input from the user, or automatically. This set ofindividual solutions is labeled “selectedISes.” The process 160 produces178 a new set of individual solutions “newSetOfISes,” that is initiallyempty.

Details of producing 178 a new set of individual solutions is shown inFIG. 11C. For each ISes in SetOfISes 178 a and for each “IS” in“selectedISes,” 178 b, the producing 178 determines 178 c if “IS” iscompatible with ISes with respect to joint travel requirements. If notcompatible the “IS” is not included, and the next “IS” in“selectedISes,” is processed (178 b). If compatible, ISes is extended178 d with IS and added 178 e to newSetOfISes. If there are more ISes inSetOfISes producing 178 returns to (178 a).

Otherwise, returning to FIG. 11B, the process 160 determines ifnewSetOfISes is too large 182. If it is too large, the process chooses184 subset of best partial joint solutions, either automatically (suchas the cheapest ISes, as measured by the summed cost over all IS inISes, or manually (letting the user choose). The SetOfISes is made equalto newSetOfISes 186 and the process tests if there are more passengergroups 188 and returns the SetOfISes if done. Otherwise, if thenewSetOfISes is not too large, the process 160 fetches 166 the nextunprocessed passenger group.

In this process 160, the process of deriving constraints is slightlymore complex because it is necessary to produce a set of constraintsthat allows the TPS to produce an IS if it is compatible with any priorISes. One way this can be done is to derive a set of constraints 168 inthe incremental searching technique 140 that produces a set ofconstraints for each ISes in SetOfISes, and to choose only constraintsthat appear in each set. If the TPS can accept multiple values for aconstraint, such as multiple possible origin airports or multiplepossible flight sequences, then queries can include values that appearin any constraint set (for example, if one ISes results in an originairport requirement of LGA, and another an origin airport requirement ofJFK, then the resulting constraint set is the restriction that theorigin airport be either LGA or JFK).

The incremental process described above represents the set of partialjoint solutions explicitly, rather than in a factored form as process 80(FIG. 7) Algorithm A. The techniques disclosed above can be used so thatthe SetOfISes is represented in a factored form as set out in the pseudocode below:

Pseudo code for Factor Representation of SetOfISes

define compute-AND/OR-graph input: passenger groups G(1) ... G(n) individual travel queries IQ(1) ... IQ(n)  joint travel requirementsJTR  joint travel preferences JTP

The pseudo code below describes more specifics details of theincremental searching technique 160. The incremental searching techniquesorts 162 the passenger groups in such a way that those with the mostconstrained trips appear earlier

for each i from 1 to n  IndexTemplates(i) =ComputeIndividualSolutionIndexTemplate(JTR, JTP, i) let Indices(i) beset of all individual solution indices for G(i),  each entry initializedto { } let Solutions(i)(I) be set of all individual solutions for G(i)with index I,  each entry initialized to { } let ORNode(i)(I) be tableof OR graph nodes representing choice over all  solutions inSolutions(i)(I) // Working from passenger group 1 to n, calculatecombined indices for // passenger groups 1 ... i by combining thoseindices for passenger group i // with the combined indices from steps 1... i−1; each combined index for // 1 ... i is represented by its ownAND/OR graph node let CombinedIndices(i) be set of “combined indices”for G(1) ... G(i),  where combined index CI = <I(1), ..., I(i)>represents conjunction  of individual indices, each entry initialized to{ } let Graph(i)(CI) be table of graph nodes indexed by the combinedindex CI Solutions(1) = pose individual query IQ(1) for passenger groupG(1) to TPS for each solution S in Solutions(1)  let I =IndividualSolutionIndex(S, IndexTemplates(1))  Solutions(1)(I) += S Indices(1) = union(Indices(1), { I }) for each index I in Indices(1) let S = Solutions(1)(I)  ORNode(1)(I) = ConstructORGraphNode(S_1, S_2,...)  CI = <I>  CombinedIndices(1) += CI  Graph(1)(CI) = ORNode(1)(I)(Optionally, let user choose subset of most promissing CombinedIndices(1), or automatically choose subset) for each i from 2to n  let ANDNodes(CI) be list of AND nodes for the combined index CI,  each entry initialized to { }

Incremental searching technique 160 derives 168 fromCombinedIndices(i−1) a set of constraints Constraints(i) on IQ(i) forpassenger group G(i)

Solutions(i) = pose individual query IQ(i) for passenger      group G(i)to TPS, constrained by Constraints(i) for each solution S inSolutions(i)   let I = IndividualSolutionIndex(S, IndexTemplates(i))  Solutions(i)(I) += S   Indices(i) = union(Indices(i), { I })  for eachindex I in Indices(i)   let S = Solutions(i)(I)   ORNode(i)(I) =ConstructORGraphNode(S_1, S_2, ...)   for each PreviousCI inCombinedIndices(i−1)    GN = Graph(i−1)(PreviousCI)    ifCompatibleWithJointTravelRequirements(PreviousCI, I, JTR)     let PV =CollectJointPreferenceViolations(PreviousCI, I, JTP)     let CI =CombineIndices(PreviousCI, I)     CombinedIndices(i) =union(CombinedIndices(i), { CI })     ANDNodes(CI) +=ConstructANDNode(GN, ORNode(i)(I), PV)  (Optionally, let user choosesubset of most promissing   CombinedIndices(i), or automatically choosesubset)  for each CI in CombinedIndices(i)   let A = ANDNodes(CI)  Graph(i)(CI) = ConstructORNode(A_1, A_2, ...) // Construct the finalgraph by combining the nodes for all combined indices let G = { } foreach CI in CombinedIndices(n)  G += Graph(n)(CI) returnConstructORNode(G(1), G(2), ...)

In this algorithm, choosing the most promising CombinedIndices can beperformed in various ways. An automated procedure can choose those withthe minimum cost summed over all individual solutions encompassed byeach combined index. A manual process can present to the user the listof the combined indices, displaying the information contained in theindex in a form that enables the user to choose joint travel propertiesthat seem most desirable, and request the user to select a small subsetof the combined indices for continued processing.

Solving with Pricing-Graph

Many traditional TPSes are limited in ability to return a sufficientlylarge number answers to individual travel queries, which poseschallenges for MPMR travel planning. If a TPS can represent many moresolutions internally than it can practically list in a response, as theTPS described in de Marcken & Wertheimer (U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,521),which can represent very large numbers of solutions in pricing-graphform (de Marcken, U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,808), then it is desirable tosolve MPMR queries “within” the TPS so that all individual solutions forall passengers are available simultaneously.

The TPS described in de Marcken & Wertheimer (U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,521)can be modified so that for an individual query, the TPS producesseparate pricing-graphs for each solution index (using the terminologyof process 80 FIG. 7)). Thus, for every index that summarizes theaspects of individual solutions relevant to joint travel requirementsand preferences, the TPS generates factored representations of verylarge numbers of individual solutions with those aspects. Such apricing-graph representation of individual solutions can be pluggeddirectly into process 80, taking the place of the OR G(i)(I) nodes. Inthis way an AND/OR pricing graph is constructed that is similar in formto that of a single-passenger pricing-graph (e.g., it has flights andfares as terminals) but the pricing graph also encodes joint solutions.The algorithms of de Marcken (U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,808) can then be runon the pricing grapy to enumerate joint solutions.

A distinction in the form of the pricing-graph is that the newpricing-graph (as proposed here) also includes joint preferenceviolation information.

Modifications of the TPS described in de Marcken & Wertheimer (U.S. Pat.No. 6,295,521) to generate multiple pricing-graphs can implemented inthe “linking” sub-routine described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,521 columns36-44. Itineraries are annotated with the information used in algorithmA for computing individual solution indices, and this information isfurther collected and maintained within the slice-label-set andopen-label-set data structures. In particular, itineraries withdifferent index information are placed in different slice-label-sets,and this separation is maintained in the open-label-sets. In this way,at the completion of the linking process multiple completeopen-label-sets are produced, each representing sets of solutions withdifferent individual indices. The pricing-graph data structure isconstructed once per complete open-label-set.

Referring to FIG. 12, a process 200 to allow a TPS responding to anindividual query to produce separate pricing-graphs is shown. Theseparate pricing graphs are for each solution index and summarizesaspects of individual solutions relevant to joint travel requirementsand preferences. The process 200 poses 202 a query to a TPS to perform atravel search. For each passenger group, the TPS produces 204pricing-graphs for each joint travel index in response results obtainedfrom the query. These searches can be run concurrently, if supported bythe TPS. The modified version of process 80 is used to produce jointsolution pricing-graphs. The process tests 206 to see if there are anymore PS's. If there are more, the process 200 continues otherwise theprocess extracts 208 or otherwise manipulates the joint solutions of thepricing-graph using ordinary pricing-graph enumeration algorithms, asdiscussed.

Biasing Scheduler to Ensure Overlap

Some TPSes solve LFS queries in a manner that is commonly called“itinerary-led” searching. In itinerary led searching, the TPS firstuses a flight scheduler program to generate flight combinations(itineraries) for each trip segment, and prices combinations ofitineraries that form whole trips (either incrementally, by enumeratingsets of itineraries that form whole trips and pricing each, or bypricing all possible sets simultaneously (as per de Marcken &Wertheimer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,521). Computational and designlimitations typically limit the number of itineraries an itinerary-ledTPS can practically consider to a small proportion of all possibleitineraries, and typically those that are examined are the shortestduration or most convenient itineraries.

However, MPMR queries with same-flight requirements or preferences canbe problematic for itinerary-led TPSes if providing solutions in whichthe same flights would require one passenger to choose a substantiallyless convenient itinerary, because it is unlikely the TPSes flightscheduler would naturally produce such an itinerary.

As an example, consider the following 2-passenger MPMR query:

-   -   Psgr 1: MIA->LON, August 5    -   Psgr 2: SFO->LON, August 5

Desire same transatlantic flight

Solving this problem is difficult using methods that pose individualqueries for each passenger, because a TPS that generates only a moderatenumber of itineraries for each individual query is unlikely to generatemany itineraries with common transatlantic flights (the MIA-LON query islikely to concentrate itineraries on transatlantic flights departingMIA, and the SFO-LON flight is likely to concentrate itineraries ontransatlantic flights departing SFO, CHI, DEN, NYC and BOS.

Referring to FIG. 13, one approach for handling MPMR queries withsame-flight requirements or preferences is to bias 222 the flightscheduler behavior in each individual query in a manner that increasesthe likelihood of generating itineraries that will meet joint travelrequirements. As mentioned above, increasing the diversity of responsesto IQs generally increases the likelihood of meeting joint travelrequirements; biasing the flight scheduler programs is another techniqueto increase the likelihood of meeting the joint travel requirements.

The process 220 sends 224 independent LFS queries to a TPS for eachpassenger group. Each query produces a list of individual solutionsappropriate for the passenger group. The process 220 receives 226 thelists from, e.g., the TPS. The lists of individual solutions arecombined 228 to produce joint solutions. Combining of the jointsolutions includes taking 230 a cross product of the lists of individualsolutions to produce a list of potential joint solutions and filteringthe list of potential joint solutions to eliminate potential jointsolutions that violate joint travel requirements. The joint solutionsare reported 232 to the client 11.

A wide variety of techniques can be used to bias the flight scheduler toimprove the probability that individual solutions meet joint travelrequirements. A large number of itineraries can be generated and culledto a number practical for pricing using diversity-enhancement techniquescan be applied to itineraries, such as those diversity-enhancementtechniques described U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/431,365 filed,November “METHOD FOR GENERATING A DIVERSE SET OF TRAVEL OPTIONS” deMarcken (pending). Of particular interest is ensuring route diversity.In situations where joint travel requirements or preferences are onlymet when multiple passenger groups with different trip segment originsor destinations share flights for some portion of a trip segment, it isadvantageous for the flight scheduler for an individual query to routeitineraries through the origins and destinations of other individualquery.

For example, in the case of the MIA->LON/SFO->LON example, for eachindividual query the TPS enhances the set of flight schedules bygenerating some itineraries with intermediate points dictated by theother individual query. Thus, in addition to the most practical routesfrom MIA->LON, the TPS also generates some number of MIA->SFOitineraries that go through SFO. Likewise, for the SFO->LON query,additional itineraries are generated with MIA as an intermediate point.

User Interfaces for Presentation and Selection

Special challenges arise in the presentation of results from MPMRqueries. First, the number of possible solutions can be substantiallylarger than those of single passenger-group queries, so interfaces basedon explicitly listing options may be less practical. Second, as multipleparties may be involved in evaluating solutions it is desirable for thedecision process to be decoupled as much as possible.

User interfaces for non-MPMR travel can be adapted for MPMR travel. Forexample, a user interface that displays a list of(single-passenger-group) solutions can instead display a list of jointsolutions by treating each joint solution as a lengthier singlepassenger-group solution. However, in such a display it may be desirableto highlight particular features of the joint solution, such as thetotal cost and the cost per individual solution, or the total number ofhours spent traveling and the number of hours per individual solution.However, given the complexity of joint solutions, it may also bedesirable to hide detailed information.

Referring to FIG. 14, an example presentation interface 250 displayingjoint solutions in a tabular format, such as on a web page, with one rowper joint solution is shown. Here a first set 252 of threecost/hrs/stops columns is devoted to the joint solution properties andother sets 254 and 256 pf columns are devoted to individual solutionproperties for each of the two passenger groups (e.g., Ann and Bob). Inthis example, the “<details>” entries are controls 257, e.g., a link,url, or other control that if activated would present a display of moredetailed properties of the individual solutions, for example flights andtimes. Rows 258 of the presentation interface 250 correspond tosolutions. In addition, a control (not shown) can be provided, e.g., bythe “<details>” control, at the number column, or elsewhere, that allowsthe user to see more solutions that are similar to the particularsolution associated with the “<details>” control selected or the numbercolumn selected.

Referring to FIG. 15, a second tabular presentation format 260, in whichmultiple rows are devoted to each joint solution for each trip segmentthat is part of any individual query, is shown. The interface 260includes a first set of columns 262 that displays details for a firstpassenger group, e.g., the passenger group name and a second set ofcolumns 264 that displays details for a second passenger group, e.g.,the passenger group name. A third set of columns 266 are provided fordisplaying details of solution properties including a joint solutioninvolving the first and second passenger groups. The multiple rows 268correspond to a solution and are used to display details of the segmentsof the solution. Multiple solutions are represented by correspondingtabular presentations such as 260′, as shown.

In FIG. 15, the trip segments are sorted by date, and in cases whereidentical flights are used for multiple passenger groups, those linesare collapsed 265′ (in tabular presentation 260′). Notes 269 areprovided that describe the satisfaction of joint travelrequirements/preferences. Also, a control 263 is provided that allowsthe user to see more solutions that are similar to the particularsolution shown in the interface.

Referring to FIG. 16, alternatively, it may be desirable to focus adisplay on a single passenger-group's trip, but provide basicinformation about the implications their choice has on the trips takenby the remaining groups. One way to do this is to produce a list ofindividual solutions for the passenger-group in question, and associatedwith each individual solution joint information such as the minimumprice of any joint solution that includes the individual solution.

FIG. 16 shows presentation interface 270 including a column that depictsjoint solution implications 272, columns 274 that depict details of theindividual solutions, rows 278 that depict solutions and a control 273that launches matching solutions in area 280.

In the case where the set of joint solutions is represented in afactored from such as an AND/OR graph, representing the joint solutionscan be performed using the techniques discussed in de Marcken, U.S. Pat.No. 6,275,808.

In the de Marcken patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,808) a colored barrepresentation is described that presents a technique for displaying andmanipulating trips by trip-segment. This technique permits the displayof itineraries for each trip segment, annotated with the minimum totalrating for a complete trip involving the itinerary. The technique alsopermit itineraries for a given trip segment to be selected, with thedisplay of the remaining trip segments updated accordingly. As thetechnique is based on AND/OR graphs, using any of the techniquesdescribed to produce an AND/OR graph with individual solutions asterminals (for example, process 80 FIG. 7), the same techniques can beused to display joint solutions in a manner where individual solutionsfor each passenger group are displayed separately but annotated with theminimum rating for a joint solution involving the individual solution,and to permit the selection of an IS to inform the display of otherpassenger-groups.

If an AND/OR graph is produced that represents individual solutionsusing an AND/OR graph (as per FIG. 12), the techniques of de Marcken canbe used to simultaneously present each trip segment from each individualquery and to allow the selection of any to inform the display of allothers.

As with U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,808, filters can be implemented that filterjoint solutions based on either joint or individual solutions.

Even if the set of joint solutions are represented as an explicit list,the displays described above can be implemented somewhat lessefficiently by calculating properties of interest by explicitlyiterating over each joint solution.

The techniques for displaying and manipulating joint solutions, asdescribed previously, can be used for situations in which all parties ofinterest are viewing the data together. For some MPMR travel scenarios,in particular those where different passengers start trips fromdifferent origins, more distributed user interfaces may be desirable.For example, it may be desirable for multiple display programs runsimultaneously in different locations, each display program displayingdata focused on a different passenger-group. In such a case, it may bedesirable for selections made by one passenger group to affect thedisplays of the other passenger groups (perhaps while each party is alsocommunicating via telephone).

Alternatively, it may be desirable for a single passenger to pose theMPMR query and receive the results, but for that passenger to make theresults available for viewing by other passengers. For example, a website could be produced that displays joint solutions. Each passenger isable to visit the web site independently and view or manipulate jointsolutions. A further alternative would allow each visitor to annotatejoint solutions with comments, such as by marking desirable orundesirable individual or joint solutions. Such information would beviewable by subsequent passengers that visit the web site. In oneembodiment, controls are available to enable filtering or sorting ofjoint solutions by rating functions that take into account comments byvisitors (current or previous).

As previously described, it may be difficult to populate the space ofjoint solutions densely enough especially if joint solutions areproduced by explicitly generating and filtering the cross-product ofindividual query solutions. It may not be possible to generate anddisplay a joint solution set that includes the best possible jointsolution for a set of passengers, even if similar joint solutions areproduced.

For example, the technique of biasing each IQ to increase the likelihoodof IQs matching may eliminate potential joint solutions that areequivalent, as far as the passengers are concerned, to a joint solutionthat is included in the result. For this reason, it may be desirable tooffer in a user interface to request more joint solutions that aresimilar to a displayed joint solution, such as a “see more similartrips” control.

One way this can be implemented is to extract a set of properties fromthe joint solution and to re-pose the joint query enforcing theadditional condition that new solutions have the same properties. Forexample, the origin and destination airports, airlines and travel datesof each trip segment of each individual solution can be included asconstraints in a new joint query. In addition, if the source jointsolution satisfies one or more joint travel preferences (for example,has two passengers traveling on exactly the same flights when this isdesired), those preferences can be re-posed as requirements. Thus, forthe joint solution to a query in which same-flights are desired but notrequired for the shared HNL->NYC portion of the trip, as depicted inTable II above, the following additional constraints may be derived andpassed back in to the MPMR TPS to extract similar solutions:

Psgr Trip Segment Constraints Ann NYC->HNL Depart Mon, Sept 10; DepartJFK; Arrive HNL; <= 1 stop; on airline AA Ann HNL->NYC Depart Sun, Sept16; Depart HNL; Ariive JFK; <= 1 stop; on airline AA Bob NYC->LAX DepartWed, Sept 12; Depart LGA; Arrive LAX; <= 1 stop; on airline NW BobLAX->HNL Depart Fri, Sept 14; Depart LAX; Arrive HNL; <= 0 stop; onairline NW Bob HNL->NYC Depart Sun, Sept 16; Depart HNL; Ariive JFK; <=1 stop; on airline AA Joint NYC->LAX Ann + Bob on same flights

After such constraints are derived, rather than re-posing the MPMR querywithout further steps, it may be desirable to give the user the abilityto edit the set of additional constraints prior to submission, inparticular so that they may delete constraints. For example, each of theabove constraints could be given a toggle switch, or when appropriate,fields (such as maximum number of stops) could be editable; this wouldenable constraints that might be unnecessary (such as the requirementthat Bob's NYC->LAX segment depart from LGA) to be loosened, potentiallyincreasing the number or quality of joint solutions returned.

The process accepts a joint query, and initializes a structureConstraints, initially empty. The process poses the joint query withadditional constraints “Constraints” and displays the joint solutions.If a solution S is selected for additional similar answers, the processderives individual or joint constraints C based upon the solution S,allows user to approve or edit the constraint C, adds the editedconstraints C to “Constraints” and poses the query.

The individual solutions of a joint solution may be purchasedindependently using ordinary techniques. It may be more desirable toreserve and purchase tickets using an “atomic” process optimized for theMPMR travel scenario that reserves seats for all passengers prior topurchasing any, so that any booking problems that prevent a singlepassenger from purchasing a ticket do not cause invalid or incompletejoint solutions to be purchased.

While examples from air travel planning have been described, aspectsapply equally well to many other forms of travel planning, such as caror bus or train travel planning, or mixed car and bus and train and airtravel planning. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope ofthe following claims.

1. A method, for entering data for a multiple passenger, multiple routequery, the method comprising: entering data corresponding to travelsegments of a first passenger group in a first set of fields in a firstregion of a user interface; entering data corresponding to travelsegments of a second passenger group in a subsequent region of the userinterface, sending the data from the first passenger group and thesecond passenger group to a travel planning system to produce a set oftravel options that meet joint requirements of the first passenger groupand the second passenger group.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein thesubsequent region of the user interface has a second set of fieldscorresponding to travel segments of the second passenger group which arepre-populated with data corresponding to travel segments for the firstpassenger group.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein a user enters datacorresponding to travel segments as two independent individual queriesin the first and subsequent regions for the first and subsequentpassenger groups.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the subsequent regionhas non-editable text or graphics corresponding to the datacorresponding to travel segments from the first passenger group.
 5. Themethod of claim 1 wherein entering data for the subsequent passengergroup further comprises: editing fields that are pre-populated datacorresponding to travel segments for the first passenger group.
 6. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the data entered in the first set of fieldsthe first passenger group are editable in the subsequent page of theuser interface of the second passenger group.
 7. The method of claim 6,further comprising editing the second passenger group's trip to reflectdifferences in travel plans with the first group.
 8. The method of claim7 wherein editing of the second passenger group trip comprises deletingtrip segments of the first passenger group's trip that werepre-populated in the trip segments of the second passenger group's trip.9. The method of claim 1 wherein each region of user interface andsubsequent regions of the user interface include a control that launchesan additional region of the user interface to enter data for additionalpassenger groups.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the additionalregion of the user interface when launched, is pre-populated withentered data from the first passenger group.
 11. The method of claim 1further comprising: specifying shared travel features by populatingfields in at least one region of the user interface.
 12. The method ofclaim 11 further comprising: populating the user interface with alisting of shared travel features; and prompting the user to selectwhich of the shared travel features to enforce as requirements.
 13. Themethod of claim 11 wherein the shared travel features include at leastone of travel together on same flights, share as much of trip aspossible, depart at same time, arrive at same time, arrive at sameairport, depart same airport, and depart at same time.
 14. The method ofclaim 11 wherein at least one of the regions of the user interfaceincludes a control to allow a user to specify the shared travel featuresas requirements or preferences.
 15. The method of claim 1 furthercomprises: explicitly specifying passenger counts, ages or names bycontrols in at least one of the pages of the user interface.
 16. A userinterface displayed on a computer monitor, the user interfacecomprising: fields for entering data for a multiple passenger, multipleroute query, the fields including: a first set of fields correspondingto travel segments of a first passenger group; a second set of fieldscorresponding to travel segments of a second passenger group; and athird set of fields corresponding to shared travel features between thefirst travel group and second travel group.
 17. The user interface ofclaim 16 wherein the shared travel features include at least one oftravel together on same flights, share as much of trip as possible,depart at same time, arrive at same time, arrive at same airport, departsame airport, and depart at same time.
 18. The user interface of claim16 wherein the interface arranges features by allowing a user to specifyfeatures as requirements or preferences.
 19. The user interface of claim16 wherein the data corresponding to travel segments of the firstpassenger group are pre-populated in the second set of fieldscorresponding to travel segments of the second passenger group.
 20. Theuser interface of claim 16 further comprising: a control that causesdata in the fields to be sent as a multiple route multiple passengerquery to a travel planning system.
 21. The user interface of claim 16wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface.
 22. Agraphical user interface displayed on a computer monitor, the graphicaluser interface comprising: fields for entering data for a multiplepassenger, multiple route query, the fields including: a first set offields corresponding to travel segments of a first passenger grouppopulated with data pertaining to the first passenger group; a secondset of fields for entering travel segments of a second passenger group.23. The graphical user interface of claim 22 wherein the data entered inthe first set of fields corresponding to travel segments of the firstpassenger group are editable.
 24. The graphical user interface of claim22 further comprising: a control that to enter a subsequent set offields corresponding to travel segments of a subsequent passenger group.25. The graphical user interface of claim 22 wherein the fields arearranged in a tabular format presenting trip segments for each passengergroup ordered by travel date.
 26. The graphical user interface of claim22 wherein entries are shared when passenger groups take same flights.27. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium,for entering data for a multiple passenger, multiple route query, thecomputer program product comprising instructions for causing a computerto: render a first region of a user interface having a first set offields for entering data corresponding to travel segments of a firstpassenger group; render a subsequent region of the user interface havinga first set of fields populated with data corresponding to travelsegments of the first passenger group, and a second set of fields forentering data corresponding to travel segments of a second passengergroup; and submit the data from the first passenger group and the secondpassenger group to an application that produces a set of travel optionsthat meet joint requirements of the first passenger group and the secondpassenger group.
 28. The computer program product of claim 27 whereinthe instructions to render the first and the subsequent regions, renderpages of the user interface as a graphical user interface.
 29. Thecomputer program product of claim 27 wherein the instructions to renderthe first set of fields in the subsequent page of the user interfaceprovide the first set of field as editable fields.
 30. The computerprogram product of claim 27 wherein the instructions to render theregion of the user interface includes instructions to render a controlthat launches an additional region of the user interface.
 31. Thecomputer program product of claim 28 wherein instructions to launch theadditional region of the user interface includes instructions to launchthe additional region of the user interface pre-populated with dataentered from the first passenger group.
 32. The computer program productof claim 27, further comprising instructions to: specify shared travelfeatures by populating fields in at least one region of the userinterface.
 33. The computer program product of claim 32 wherein thefields can accept shared travel features including at least one oftravel together on same flights, share as much of trip as possible,depart at same time, arrive at same time, arrive at same airport, departsame airport, and depart at same time.
 34. The computer program productof claim 27 wherein the instructions render the at least one interfaceincluding a control to allow a user to specify features as requirementsor preferences.
 35. The computer program product of claim 27, furthercomprising instructions to: accept edits of the second passenger group'strip to reflect differences in travel plans with the first group. 36.The computer program product of claim 35 wherein instruction to acceptedits of the second passenger group trip comprises instructions to:delete trip segments of the first passenger group's trip that werepre-populated in the trip segments of the second passenger group's trip.37. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein instructions toenter data in the second set of fields comprises instructions to: modifythe data corresponding to travel segments of the first passenger groupthat are pre-populated in the second set of fields corresponding totravel segments of the second passenger group.
 38. The computer programproduct of claim 27 further comprises instructions to: generate jointtravel features by applying heuristics to the user specified travelsegments of the first passenger group, and to travel segments of thesecond passenger group.